I started shooting in SW Michigan in 1978, thirty years ago. Back then my local shoots were reasonably small, there were seldom trophies or options, and 100 straights and 27 yard shooters were rare for the most part. In 1984 I moved to SE Idaho, and continued to shoot off and on. The Idaho local shoots had more shooters than I was used to, had trophies and options, higher scores than I was used to, and 27 yard shooters were reasonably common. In fact my very first shoot after I moved I broke my first 100 straight in singles, and the next year I broke 98 in a handicap. In a recent thread on whether singles are too easy, it appears that the geographical divide still exists. Pat Ireland mentions that 100 straights are not too common in Virginia's local shoots, Flagarto states the same for Florida, while Lyle states most Idaho shoots, even small ones, will have them. Flagarto asked for some local data, but I was the only one to respond with some, from our annual Gun Shoot last weekend. So let's try again to gather some data.

Pocatello trap Club has had five scheduled ATA shoots this year - one-day shoots in February and March, a two-day shoot in June, and four-day shoots in July (the Western Zone) and August (the Gun Shoot). The weather was not kind in February, but OK for the other shoots. Here is some data:

February's first event was 50 pair of doubles, 21 total shooters in four classes, A, B, C, D.

Class A had six shooters, a high score of 94, and median score 90.

Class B had nine shooters, high score 92, and median 86.

Class C had three shooters, high 90, median 83.

Class D had three shooters, high 67, median 60.

The second event was 100 singles, 39 total shooters in four classes, A, B, C, D. There were about a dozen SCTP shooters, mostly brand new.

Class A had eleven shooters, high 99, median 96.

Class B had eleven shooters, high 97, median 94.

There were no class C entrants.

Class D had seventeen shooters, high 90, median 75.

The third event was 100 handicap, 26 shooters in two yardage groups, 19-23.5 and 24-27.

The short yardage group had thirteen shooters, high 95, median 88.

The long yardage group had thirteen shooters, high 93, median 88.

The winner shot from 20.5 yards.

March's first event was 50 pair of doubles, 43 total shooters in four classes, A, B, C, D.

Class A had ten shooters, a high score of 98, and median score 94.

Class B had seventeen shooters, high score 96, and median 86.

Class C had eleven shooters, high 93, median 86.

Class D had five shooters, high 87, median 71.

The second event was 100 singles, 47 total shooters in four classes, A, B, C, D.

Class A had nineteen shooters, high 100, median 98.

Class B had fifteen shooters, high 99, median 94.

Class C had four shooters, high 96, median 92.5.

Class D had nine shooters, high 96, median 87.

There were three 100 straights total.

The third event was 100 handicap, 50 shooters in two yardage groups, 19-23.5 and 24-27.

The short yardage group had 32 shooters, high 95, median 90.

The long yardage group had 18 shooters, high 97, median 87.5.

The winner shot from 27 yards.

The June Shoot started with 100 pair of doubles with 42 shooters in five classes, AA-A-B-C-D.

Class AA had 7 shooters, high 197, median 194.

Class A had 10 shooters, high 192, median 188.5.

Class B had 15 shooters, high 188, median 180.

Class C had 8 shooters, high 180, median 177.

Class D had 2 shooters, high 172, median 163.5.

Next was 100 singles (the first half of a 200 bird race over two days), with 50 shooters in five classes, AA-A-B-C-D.

Class AA had 9 shooters, high 100, median 99.

Class A had 16 shooters, high 99, median 96.5.

Class B had 15 shooters, high 100, median 93.

Class C had 6 shooters, high 97, median 93.5.

Class D had 4 shooters, high 79, median 73.

There were three 100 straights.

The final event of day one was 100 handicap with 46 shooters in three yardage groups, 19-22.5, 23-25.5, and 26-27.

Short yardage had 13 shooters, high 95, median 89.

Mid yardage had 17 shooters, high 98, median 91.

Long yardage had 16 shooters, high 97, median 92.5.

The winner (yours truly) shot from 25.5 yards.

Day two started with 100 singles, 51 shooters.

Class AA had 8 shooters, high 100, median 99.

Class A had 20 shooters, high 100, median 98.

Class B had 12 shooters, high 97, median 92.5.

Class C had 7 shooters, high 96, median 94.

Class D had 4 shooters, high 83, median 75.

There were four 100 straights.

Next was 100 handicap, 42 shooters, same yardage groups.

Short yardage had 10 shooters, high 95, median 90.

Mid yardage had 12 shooters, high 100, median 93.

Long yardage had 22 shooters, high 97, median 92.

The winner shot from 22 yards.

The final event was another handicap with 44 shooters.

Short yardage had 10 shooters, high 98, median 91.5.

Mid yardage had 12 shooters, high 95, median 91.5.

Long yardage had 22 shooters, high 97, median 92.

The winner shot from 22 yards.

If there is any interest in this thread, post your local data, and I will continue with ours from the July and August shoots. If there is no interest, I'll let it fade away.

I will dig up scores from some shoots in Mid Atlantic and post them. This is exactly the type of data many here do NOT want to see, because it doesn't support their opinion that the ATA is broken. Lets get data points, analyze them, and argue from facts, not random data or conjecture. Even though there are only a few data points, looking at the median score shows that, at least at these shoots, there is nothing wrong with the current classifying and yardage. The singles and doubles show lower classes consistently break lower scores and in handicap the median score of the groups is nearly equal. Isn't that exactly what is intended?

My issue is why in the hell doesn't the ATA compile and distribute this type of information. They collect all the relevant shoot information then apparently know one thinks it's important enough to analyze.

If this was a major corporation and the BOD didn't not take the time or effort to understand what was happening to their customer base at a minimum they would be removed from the board.